NORFOLK, Va. -- In the battle of upstart programs, the ODU football team had two touchdown receptions by Nick Mayers (Va. Beach, Va.) and a season-high 145 yards rushing from Desmond Williams (Windsor, N.C.) to lead the Monarchs to a 28-17 victory over Campbell at a blustery Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium Saturday night.

The Monarchs improve to 5-2 on the year, while the Camels dropped to 1-5 overall.

For the fifth game this season, the Monarchs scored on its opening drive, needing just two minutes and 41 seconds to light up the scoreboard. Staring the contest at their own 25, six plays later Reid Evans (Hampton, Va.) tore down the field on a 42-yard touchdown reception run. For Evans, it was the leading Monarch receiver's first touchdown catch. Following the Drew Hareza (McDonald, Pa.) extra point, Old Dominion was ahead 7-0 with 12:19 on the clock.

Starting the second quarter, it was Campbell's turn. The Fighting Camels drove 91 yards and capped their drive with Rashaun Brown running into the end zone on a 14-yard carry.

On their next possession, the Camels' used a 36-yard field goal from Adam Willets to go ahead with 8:02 left in the opening half of action.

The second half however belonged to Old Dominion, outscoring Campbell 21-7.

Mayers collected the lone touchdown of the third quarter and then opened up scoring in the fourth quarter on his second touchdown reception. Quarterback Thomas DeMarco (Palm Desert, Calif.) connected on a 14-yard pass to the redshirt freshman wide receiver with 5:23 remaining in the third quarter to put ODU ahead for good with a 14-10 advantage. Opening up the final stanza, Mayers missed the first pass from DeMarco following a Camel punt, but made good on the second with a 41-yard touchdown reception.

Williams rounded out the Monarch scoring on the night with just over four minutes remaining in the game. Williams owned the drive, accounting for 70 of the 94 yards on Monarch possession. Getting to within three yards of the end line, DeMarco tried carrying the ball through the middle but was just short of another ODU touchdown. On the third attempt, DeMarco handed the ball off to Williams who scooted to the left and muscled his way in for the score and a 28-10 Monarch lead.
Campbell scored late in the fourth quarter for the final total. The Camels needed just over a minute following the previous ODU tally with Daniel Polk using the keeper for a yard to capture the touchdown.

Defensively, ODU was led yet again by Mychael McJunkins (Kansas City, Mo.). He led the Monarchs with eight tackles, including six solo stops. McJunkins has led the team in tackles in five of ODU's seven games.

DeMarco completed eight of his 14 passes for 145 yards, connecting with Mayers three times for 65 yards and Evans three times for 64 yards. Polk finished the night with 185 yards completing 16 of his 23 attempts.

The Old Dominion football team returns to action on the road next weekend. The Monarchs take on fellow independent Savannah State on Saturday, October 24th at 5:00 p.m.

MONARCH MOMENTS:

OPENING WITH A BANG: And no, we're not talking about the howitzer you hear being shot off before the Monarchs run onto Foreman Field. Old Dominion has scored on the first drive now in five of its games thus far. Only the Presbyterian game - which saw the Monarchs fumble at the Blue Hose four-yard line - and the game at Jacksonville did not see the Monarchs have a score on their first possession.

WE'RE ON THE ONE: Punter Jonathan Plisco (Newport News, Va.) had a 76-yard punt midway through the third quarter for his longest punt of the year. That punt caused the Camels to start their drive all the way from their own one-yard line. Having helped the Camels stay downfield, it helped set up the Monarchs' first touchdown drive of the second half. Plisco's previous long was 61. Twenty of his 41 punts this season have been inside the opponent 20 with 13 measured at 50 yards or longer.

LET'S PLAY CATCH:
Redshirt freshman wide reciever Nick Mayers (Va. Beach, Va.) brought his total number of touchdown receptions to five on the season with his two TD catches this evening. Mayers is second on the Monarchs in TDs, behind Thomas DeMarco's seven and he is third on the squad in scoring having totaled 32 of ODU's point this season, behind DeMarco (42) and kicker Drew Hareza (McDonald, Pa.) (44).

D.D. DOWN FIELD:Desmond Williams (Windsor, N.C.) ran for 145 yards in Saturday's victory, the most rushing yardage for a Monarch this season. He surpasses the previous high of 136 captured by Thomas DeMarco at Jacksonville.

SECOND HALF STOP:
After the Camels gained 137 yards on the ground in the first half, the ODU defense only allowed Campbell to gain 59 rushing yards in second half action.